Chapter 482

"That, Inspector." Yamaguchi Maho looked confused, her voice hoarse, filled with grievance and despair: "What you mentioned, what is amber choline?"

The interrogation room was silent.

Yeah, what is amber choline?

Kashiwagi Jin instinctively wanted to criticize Yamaguchi Maho, thinking you're still pretending?

However, when his wife also looked at him with curious eyes, Kashiwagi Jin suddenly realized a problem.

Uesugi Muneyuki should naturally know about amber choline, the forensics division people should know about amber choline, even the non-career track detectives of Investigation Division 1 should have heard of it.

But it's perfectly normal for Kashiwagi Misa, as an administrative staff member, to have never heard of amber choline.

And Kashiwagi Misa only went to Tokyo after graduating from high school, she doesn't know about amber choline... then this little idol in front of her...

Kashiwagi Jin shifted his gaze to Yamaguchi Maho.

He saw her already crying without tears, her dazed expression still staring at Kashiwagi Jin.

What is amber choline?

Intuition told Kashiwagi Jin that Yamaguchi Maho's state wasn't feigned, and her not knowing about amber choline made sense.

Could I really have been wrong?

Thinking this, Kashiwagi Jin's face felt a bit hot, he felt embarrassed, mainly because he had investigated all operations and members that morning, all testimonies and evidence uniformly pointed to Yamaguchi Maho having issues, then her微博 also showed she seemed flighty with a motive for the crime, and the attack being too coincidental, Kashiwagi Jin had even investigated that Yamaguchi Maho once misspoke saying she had a relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki.

This all made Kashiwagi Jin firmly believe Yamaguchi Maho was very likely self-directing and self-performing.

But... now everything became unreasonable again.

But he had to ask the other party if they knew, this was professional instinct.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Yamaguchi, we're not targeting you personally, we're just considering all possible scenarios." Kashiwagi Jin nodded, speaking with a slightly apologetic tone: "You've worked hard, please go rest first, don't think too much, please believe we police will definitely give you justice."

If Yamaguchi Maho really isn't the killer, then... whoever could obtain amber choline isn't an ordinary person!

Yakuza? Medical industry bigwig? Politician-businessperson?

Kashiwagi Jin's complexion was poor, he glanced at Kashiwagi Misa, gesturing we should go outside to talk.

"…………" Yamaguchi Maho said nothing, she silently stood up, took out her phone, discovered her national female idol group had already made the front page headlines, her heart felt even more sorrowful.

After these things, can my idol path still continue?

And just as the Metropolitan Police Department Special Investigation Headquarters was still being formed, on-site police argued over "accident" versus "homicide", desperately seeking scientific evidence, the external world had already boiled over because of this incident.

One man, two women, naked, idol, agent, apartment death——these key phrases combined, formed a public opinion nuclear bomb capable of shattering all daily topics!

Major media upheld the principle of "reporting facts" (despite facts being blurred), but headlines and content were already maximally sensationalized!

Asahi Shimbun front page headline: 《YKC48-affiliated idol and male operations mysteriously die in residence, Metropolitan Police Department launches full investigation under "suspicious death"》

Asahi Shimbun content wording was relatively cautious, but heavily emphasized "the scene condition was extremely abnormal", "police do not rule out any possibility". The picture showed YKC Theater building surrounded by reporters and fans placing flower bouquets downstairs in mourning. The editorial urged police to quickly ascertain the truth, and reflect on loopholes in idol industry management.

Sankei Shimbun late edition:

Headline: 《"Dark Party" of the Idol Empire? Discussing moral collapse and crisis of youth culture》

Content stance leaned conservative, elevating the event to "social morals declining", "young generation's values distorted" height for criticism, strongly questioning YKC company's management ability and idols' private life conditions.

Weekly Bunshun (early leaked online version):

Headline: 【Exclusive】YKC death scene tragic details! Suspected SM game gone too far? Suicide note content exposed! 》

Content maximally sensational, quoting "police insider" remarks, depicting large amounts of unverified sensual, chaotic, horrifying scene details, and publishing partial vague content of the so-called "suicide note", directly directing a "sex party accident".

TV station news special (like TBS《NEWS23》):

Program on-site invited former detectives, psychologists, and social commentators.

Former detective: "From the scene situation, the possibility of homicide cannot be ruled out, need to strictly investigate the deceased's grudges and financial flows."

Psychologist: "Under extreme pressure and closed environment, idols are prone to psychological dependence and distorted relationships, this might be a tragedy of collective suicide."

Host finally concluded: "No matter which possibility, this reveals the heavy unknown shadow behind the glamorous idol industry."

Online reactions were then more direct, intense, and chaotic.

Twitter (X) hot search explosion:

#YKC Disgusting Incident

#Sugawara Riko Nakai Rika

#Darkness of the Idol Industry

Fan comments: "Can't accept! How could Riko, such a pure child, do this! Must be forced!", "YKC come apologize! How are you managing staff?! ", "My youth ended, crying until sleepless."

Famous idol critic idol industry black hat head "Ning1203" remarks: "Fans' money just raised this bunch of doll-playing trash operations? (referring to Imasaki's operations identity)", "Already said idol private life was chaotic, fans wake up! ", "So disgusting, this kind of news really pollutes eyes."

5ch etc anonymous forum "conspiracy theory breeding ground":

【Breaking】YKC death trio incident, absolutely a silencing!

"Imasaki that guy definitely grasped some core blackmail, about YKC money laundering!"

"Those two girls probably accidentally participated in some 'high-end party', saw what they shouldn't have seen, big figures, were disposed of together."

"Metropolitan Police Special Mission Unit already deployed! Waiting for Uesugi Chief's鉴定 results!"

【Doubts】Rumor says there was a suicide note at the scene? Absolutely forged!

"Definitely written by amateurs, to muddy the waters."

"Police hurry check handwriting and computer login records! This is definitely written by the killer!"

【Insider】I'm a former YKC employee, this kind of thing isn't the first time.

(Anonymous user) "Before there were small idols taken for drinking companions, then disappeared, just all suppressed. This time it backfired."

"YKC's behind is yakuza and big politicians, those in the know know. This time the operations died probably blocked someone's path."

YouTube etc video platforms:

Large numbers of "reasoning UP主" rapidly made videos, linking the incident with 48 system past rumors, Japanese political-business doubts, drawing complex "relationship maps", click counts surged madly.

All arrows pointed toward core producer, Akimoto Yasushi!

Below the performance videos of the two idols from their lifetimes, tributes filled with "R. I. P." were abundant, but mixed in were malicious comments like "Sure enough, they're two-faced" and "Pretending to be pure."

For a time, the Metropolitan Police Department felt immense pressure.

The eyes of the entire nation were focused on this, social media buzzed 24/7, and the demand for the police to swiftly solve the case and reveal the truth formed a tsunami-like wave of sound; any delay, concealment, or mistake would lead to a collapse of public trust.

Moreover, what troubled the Metropolitan Police Department was that public opinion had already judged the incident before the judiciary did—either it was a sordid scandal or a dark murder—forcing the police to walk a tightrope between respecting facts and appeasing public sentiment.

Watanabe Eiji convened a meeting over this, and all senior officers of the rank of Superintendent and above in the Metropolitan Police Department attended.

However, the main figure of this meeting was not them.

In national crisis, think of loyal generals! Whenever the Metropolitan Police Department falls into trouble again, everyone recalls the hero representing Sakuradamon!

Everyone's gaze gathered toward the humble seat, yet it was the sole attendee qualified to sit in on the high-level meeting with a rank below Superintendent.

Special Mission System Management Officer, Watanabe Minami.

From a certain perspective, Uesugi Muneyuki has already become the last line of defense for the Metropolitan Police Department, and this time, with a corpse present, all senior officers believe Uesugi will surely succeed.

However, this trump card has always been pinched in the hands of the Watanabe father and daughter; to use it, one must obtain Minami's consent.

"Uesugi Chief has already made a preliminary judgment." Watanabe Minami, the Young Lady, slowly rose in everyone's gaze: "He believes it is homicide!"

"Oh oh oh~""As expected of Uesugi-kun!""Already have a conclusion?""In that case, solving the case should be imminent, right?" The Metropolitan Police Department's senior officers received a satisfactory answer, and many smiled.

"But this case is not that simple. After Uesugi Chief's judgment, the three deceased respectively died from injections of acetylcholine, high-purity fentanyl injections. Ladies and gentlemen, please look at the PPT." Watanabe Minami, the Young Lady, briefly introduced Uesugi Muneyuki's preliminary judgment, then she said solemnly: "In this country, those who can obtain lethal doses of acetylcholine and fentanyl will not be simple killers, let alone the fact that surveillance and other aspects showed no special findings."

"Please state your request, Watanabe Management Official." Deputy Superintendent Ooyama Ren, seated in the deputy seat, nodded and asked: "Does the Special Mission Unit require reinforcement from Headquarters?"

"Yes... Uesugi Chief believes this case may involve greater trouble behind the scenes, therefore... request reinforcement from Public Security Police!" Watanabe Minami swiftly turned her gaze toward the Superintendent General seated in the main seat, her father Watanabe Eiji.

This is Uesugi Muneyuki's request; he now needs the power of Public Security.

"Approved, Director Haruko, please immediately dispatch Public Security Police to assist the Special Mission Unit in investigation. In certain extreme circumstances, I permit first strike, later report!" Watanabe Eiji said solemnly: "But the investigation must proceed with caution, each step leaving clear and legal records. We need indisputable scientific evidence, so that any political pressure attempting to obstruct investigation becomes powerless before law and fact."

"This has always been something only Uesugi can do, and Headquarters also believes he can do it!" Director General Haruko Yoshikazu nodded solemnly.

"Good, just like this, continue to closely monitor this matter. This is an excellent opportunity to prove to the nation the police's justice and capability!"

"Yes!!!"

At the same time, in the National Police Agency's Secretariat, Onoda Kanbocho gazed afar at the Metropolitan Police Department building opposite the National Police Agency. Behind him, the Security Department Chief of the National Police Agency, Shinzou Kamiya, was seated, with a document placed on the desk.

It was precisely the document that Miyawaki Sakura had stolen from operations.

"The plan seems to have changed, Secretariat Chief. The other side clearly moved to silence." Shinzou Kamiya said solemnly: "We should also take action—this is an opportunity! As soon as the other side moves, our Public Security..."

"Yes, pinching~" Onoda turned his head coldly, expressionless: "But there's no need to rush."

"Let Uesugi Muneyuki investigate first; he will find something."

"By the way, we can also see, Miyawaki Sakura, just how valuable she is."

(Chapter End)